Apparatus for coating a strip



Sept 23, 969 H. L. PATRY ET AL 3,468,285

APPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet l VIII/1 11111 1 III/11111 1 1 ILM '2 23 24 E lo xaaxaxu amasar:-

l2 2O 26 8 lo FIG. i.

v INVENTORS Harvey L. Pafry Francis J. Patry Ernest Patry H. BIOH Loman? ATTORNEYS Sem. 23, E969 H. l.. PATRY ET Al. 3,468,25

APPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet A INV ENT ORS ATTORNEYS 14mg@ mw @E o@ @E Harvey L. Por? Francis J. Po ry Ernest Patry H. Blair Lamont Moo/o (LNQ ri W1.

Sep. 23, i959 H. l.. PATRY ET Al. 3,468,285

APPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS Harvey L. Patry Francis J. Patry Ermes? Patry H. Bloir Lomon Moolia Qd Al-fl- ATTORNEYS Sep. 23 1969 H. L. PATRY ET AL ARPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP 17 Sheets-Sheet-.

Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 o L m L A www m 4 0 O O pfym cw Jole. L P C vvfw on v .m m. w mmm. M mO H F EH v.. B

ATTORNEYS Sept. 23, 1969 H. L. PATRY ET AL APPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS Harvey L. Patry Francis J. Parry Ernesf Parry H. Blair Lamont HQG Qua +Mw.

ATTOR NEYS Sept. 23, 1969 H. L. PATRY ET AL APPARATUS Fon coA'rING A STRIP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS Harvey LA Parry Francis J. Parry Ernest Patry H. Blair Lamont Home qu HALL ATTORNEYS 17 Sheets-Sheet '7 H. Blair Lamont MooQg d #ALL ATTORNEYS 1 c.. .uw @C rt wmmw I .T I Jm .UH d

H. L. PATRY ET AL APPARATUS FOR coATING A STRIP sepf. 23, 1969 Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 Septc 23, 1969 H. l.. PATRY ET AL APPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP original Filed Feb. s, 1964 l 17 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS Harvey L. Pofry Francis J. Patry Ernesr Parry H, Blair Lamont Sept. 23, 1969 H. L. PATRY ET AL 3,468,285

APPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet 3 'L -l y V .Il l l y I o n tf) w l 'E E? INVENTORS v Harvey l.. Parry '2 Frmcis J. Parry Ernest Pofry H. Blair Lomonf' Moofa qw mL.

ATTORNEYS Sept. 23, 1969 H. L. PATRY ET AL APPARATUS FOR coA'rING A STRIP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTORS Harvey L.. Parry Francis J. Parry Er H.

Pafry r Lomonr Moo@ q@ New` AroRNEYs Sept. 23, 1969 H, L, PATRY ETAL 3,468,285

APPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP Iignal Filed Feb. 5, 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet 1l FIGJQ.

INVENTORS Harvey L. P Francis J. P Ernesr Pofry H. Blair Lomonr BY 4 VlwRGQBLL.

ATTORNEYS Sep. 23, 1969 H. L. PATRY ET AL APPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet l 2 INVENTORS H. Bio ir Lamont ATTORNEYS Sept. 23, 1969 H. l.. PATRY ET Al- APPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 1'7 Sheets-Sheet l5 HQORE M LL ATTORNEYS Sep. 23, 1969 H, L PATRY ET AL APPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet 14 INVENTORS Harvey L Parry Francis J. Parry Ermes? Pofry H. Blair Lomonr ATTORNEYS Sep. 23, 1969 H, L PATRY EITAL 3,468,285

y APPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP Original Filed Feb. 5. 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet l5 l INVENTORS Harvey L Pofry 20w FVGHCS J, Patry Ernest Parry H. Bloir Lamont om: QH; (l/L ATTORNEYS 20w FIG. 28A.

Sepn 23, 1969 H L pA-rRy ETAL APPARATUS Foa comme A STRIP original Filed Feb. s, 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet 1F INVENTORS m L L NA O WW r mm nu A PPrYmOW lo J.O| LsPr E Mmmm ao mme o HHEH ,M

Sept. 23, 1969 H, 1 PATRY ET Al- APPARATUS FOR COATING A STRIP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1964 17 Sheets-Sheet l 7 INVENTOIS Harvey l.. Parry Franc/'s J. Pofry Ernest Pafry H. Blair I omonf M ooRE Qu@ LQLJL ATTORNEYS 3,468,285 APPARATUS FOR COA'I'ING A STRIP Harvey L. Patry, 71 Prospect St.; Francis .1. Patry, Gld Lisbon Road; and Ernest Patry, 49 Mower Ave., all of Lewiston, Maine 04240; and Harold Blair Lamont, Lincolnville, Maine 04849 Original application Feb. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 342,766, now Patent No. 3,319,330. Divided and this appiication Sept. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 580,451

Int. Cl. B44d 1/02 U.S. Cl. 118-221 6 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLUSURE The disclosure describes a machine and a method of producing an expansion joint cover. In particular, the disclosure describes an apparatus for coating both sides of a strip of material. The strip is passed between two pairs of co-acting coating rollers to adhesively coat limited portions adjacent the edges of the strip, with one of the coacting pair coating one edge of the strip and the second co-acting pair coating the other edge. Transfer means are mounted on one roller of each pair of co-acting rollers to transfer the adhesive from an adhesive bath to the other coating roller.

This application is a divisional application of Ser. No. 342,766, led Feb. 5, 1964 now United States Patent No. 3,319,330 and entitled Method of Manufacturing an Expansion Joint Cover.

This invention relates to an apparatus for coating a strip useful, for example, in manufacturing an expansion joint cover of the type often used in buildings and elsewhere. The expansion joint cover has been made the subject of a prior copending application of the present inventors, Ser. No. 72,179, tiled Nov. 28, 1960, entitled Expansion Joints for Metal Panels, now United States Patent No. 3,123,188 granted Mar. 3, 1964.

A- primary object of this invention is to provide an improved coating apparatus for manufacturing the aforesaid type of exapnsion joint cover.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a coating apparatus for manufacturing an expansion joint cover at low cost.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus for coating a strip prior to joining it to another strip in a simple and eflicient manner.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as this description proceeds.

Briey speaking, the invention provides a machine for and method of producing two metal strips and feeding them side by side in parallel paths. During this feeding operation the strips are bent so that each has an elongated vertical portion connected at its lower end to an elongated horizontal portion. In addition there is a horizontal base portion whereby the two strips have a cross section as shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. An elongated strip of elastic material is fed on to the tirstnamed horizontal portions but only after a suitable adhesive has been applied to the several portions of the various strips which will ultimately be brought into contact with each other.

The elastic strip is bonded to said first-named horizontal portions by means of suitable rolls, and in this connection vertical guides are employed for guiding the elastic material so as to prevent the lower portion of the elastic material from coming into contact with and adhering to the vertical portions of the first-named metal strips.

At a later time the aforesaid vertical portions of the States arent O 3,468,285 Patented Sept. 23, 1969 two strips are bent down so as to clamp the elastic material between said vertical portions and the first-named horizontal portions.

The method and machine will be described in more detail in conjunction with the following drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an expansion joint of the type described in the aforesaid prior copending application, and is the expansion joint which is manufactured by the method and machine described in the present application.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the expansion joint cover of FIGURE 1. l

FIGURE 3 shows one of the steps involved in making the expansion joint of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view showing another step in the manufacture of the expansion joint cover of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 as used herein refers generically to FIG- URES 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, as more fully explained in connection with FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 5A is a top view of part of the machine for making the joint of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5B is a top view of another part of the machine for making the joint of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 5C is a top view of yet another part of the machine for making the joint of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5D is a top view of still another part of the machine for making the joint of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 as used herein refers generically to FIG- URES 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D, as more fully explained in connection with FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 6A is a side view of part of the machine for making the joint of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6B is a side view of another part of the machine for making the joint of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6C is a side view of yet another part of the machine for making the joint of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 6D is a side view of still another part of the machine for making the joint of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 shows how sheets 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are placed together in order to illustrate FIGURES 5 and 6 in their entirety.

FIGURE 8 is a top view of the metal primer device 107 of FIGURE 6A.

FIGURE 9 is a side view of the metal primer device 107 of FIGURE 6A.

FIGURE 10 is a side View of the rst forming roll 114, taken along line 10-10 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 11 is a side view of the second forming roll of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 12 is a side View of the third forming roll 116 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 13 is a side view of the fourth forming roll 117 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 14 is a side View of the fifth forming roll 118 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 15 is a side View of the crimping wheels 124 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 15A is an end view of the crimping wheels of FIGURE 15.

FIGURE 16 illustrates the rst edging rolls 119, together with their wedge 136, of FIGURE 21.

FIGURE 17 illustrates the second edging rolls 120, together with their Wedge 136, of FIGURE 21.

FIGURE 18 illustrates the third edging rolls 121, together with their wedge 136, of FIGURE 21.

FIGURE 19 illustrates the rst finishing rolls 122 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 20 illustrates the second linishing rolls 123 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 2l is a side view of the wedge 136 of FIG- URES 16, 17, 18.

FIGURE 22 is a top view of the wedge of FIGURE 21.

FIGURE 23 is an end view partly in section of the apparatus for applying adhesive to the elastomeric sheet 16.

FIGURE 24 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 23 taken along line 24-24.

FIGURE 25 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIGURE 23 taken along line 25-2S.

FIGURE 26 is an end view of the apparatus of FIG- URE 23.

FIGURE 27 is a side view of the bonding device 131, together with the closing rolls 132 and the press rolls 133, all of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 28 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG- URE 27.

FIGURE 28A is a sectional view taken along line 28A-28A of FIGURE 28.

FIGURE 29 is a detail view of the bonding rolls 131 of FIGURE `6, and is a view along line 29-29 of FIG- URE 27, but with certain parts such as the vertical part of strip 16 omitted.

FIGURE 30 is a detail view of the closing rolls 132 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 31 is a plan view of the adhesive applicator 125 (together with associated apparatus) of FIGURES 5 and 6.

FIGURE 32 is a detail view of the adhesive applicator per se of FIGURE 31.

FIGURE 33 is an end View of the squeegee rolls 222 of FIGURE 31.

FIGURE 34 is a side view of the device shown in FIGURE 33.

FIGURE 35 is a top view of four of the edging rolls together with the wedge.

FIGURE 36 is an end view of the apparatus of FIGURE 35.

The expansion joint cover of FIGURE 1 is described in detail in the aforesaid prior copending application. It comprises two metal sheets and 12, preferably of copper rust-resistant material, which are bent to form sockets into which the elastic material 16 flts and is preferably secured by means of a suitable adhesive. FIGURE 2 shows a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 1 and it is apparent that the metal strip 10 has the folded portions 22, 24 and 26 to form a socket between the members 24 and 26 to hold the end 181 of the elastic member 16. At the left end of FIGURE 2 it is noted that the elastic member 16 is clamped between the pieces of metal 20 and 23-25, the same as on the right-hand side.

FIGURES 1 through 4 are diagrammatic only, it being understood that the elastic strip 16 can vary in relation to the other parts than is shown. For example, strip 16 may be 5 inches while portion 20 may be 1/2 inch.

In use, the elastic joint of FIGURES l and 2 has its metal strips 10 and 12 respectively connected to two parts of a building or other structure which may move with reference to each other, and the elastic member 16 provides the necessary elasticity for expansion and contraction, all as .described in our aforesaid prior copending application.

The present invention deals particularly with the machine for and method of manufacturing the expansion joint of FIGURES 1 and 2 and in that connection reference will be made particularly to FIGURES 3 and 4. In FIGURE 3 the elongated sheet of elastic material is shown in cross-sectional form at 16, and below it appears two strips 10 and 12 in a preliminary stage of their bending operation.

As shown in FIGURE 4, another step of the process includes lowering the strip 16 in the pocket created by strips 10 and 12, but only after the strips 10 and 12 have been coated with adhesive and dried on the faces which will contact the elastic material 16. The elastic material 16 is also coated with adhesive and dried on those portions which contact the strip portions 20, 23, 24 and 26.

Following the step shown in FIGURE 4, the two members 20 and 26 are then bent over the top of the elastic strip 16 (to produce the complete unit of FIG- URE 2) and since the two members 20 and 26 are coated with adhesive they hold the elastic material 16 partly by reason of the clamping action of the strips but mainly because of the adhesive action.

There follows a description of the machine which carries out the process which has been very briefly described in connection with FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

In order fully to understand the machine and the drawings, it is desirable to iit eight of the sheets of patent drawings together as more fully illustrated in FIG- URE 7. FIGURE 5 comprises four subgures. FIG- URE 5A, FIGURE 5B, FIGURE 5C, and FIGURE 5D, which should be placed end to end in order to lit together and illustrate FIGURE 5 in its entirety as a single entity. Similarly, FIGURE 6, which is a side view of the machine, comprises four subgures, FIGURE 6A, FIGURE 6B, FIGURE 6C and FIGURE 6D. The sheets of drawing containing these figures should be fitted together and placed directly under the corresponding drawings of FIGURE 5, because both FIGURE 5 and FIGURE 6 are to the same scale, and FIGURE 5, if properly aligned over FIGURE 6, shows a top view of the parts shown on FIGURE 6.

In order to provide information as to one size which our machine may take in a practical embodiment, we state: The length of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 6A is 16 feet, 6 inches; while the apparatus of FIGURES 6B, 6C and 6D is to a slightly smaller scale and the overall apparatus of all three of these gures is 50 feet.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 and 6, it is noted that at the start of the process there is a large coil of copper in strip form, this coil ybearing reference numeral 101 in FIGURE 6A. Actually there are two coils of this strip material as shown in FIGURE 5, one of which is the coil 101e for supplying the copper strip which ends up as the strip 12 of FIGURE 2. The coil 101b supplies the strip which ends up as the strip 10 of FIGURE 2. Each coil of copper strip material has a suitable means 102 for adjusting the drag, and the copper strip emerges from the coil at 103 where it passes a guide 104 and is subjected to cleaning by the wire brush 106 after it has had its direction changed by the wheel 105. Each wire brush 106 only brushes about one inch of the strip adjacent the inner edge of the five inch strip 103. The one-inch portions subject to brushing are the portions 20-23 and 24-26 (FIGURE 4) to which adhesive is later applied. The copper strip after being brushed passes upwardly past the coating machine 107 which applies a primer coat to the copper strip and then past the infra-red lamps 108 for drying the primer coat, thence over the idler wheel 109, next over the idler wheel 110, and inally over the idler wheels 112 and 111. The idler wheels 110, 111, and 112 are provided in substantially spaced relation, as shown, to provide additional time for the primer fully to dry before the next step of the process. Suitable additional guides such as 104g may be used where needed. The copper strip next passes the lubricating device 113 Where it is given a suitable coating of wax, oil, or other solvent preparatory to the `bending operations which will next be described.

Lubrication is applied for the well known purpose of enabling the forming rolls to slip with reference to the strip as the latter passes the rolls. Concurrently with application of the lubricant, the strips are guided in conventional manner by the guides 143 which may be adjusted transversely by cranks 144.

The copper strip passes through forming rolls 114 to 123 inclusive, including the intermediate crimping device 124. These forming rolls as well as the crimping device are fully shown in detail in connection with FIG- URES to 20, to be described later. It is sufficient at this stage to point out that after each copper strip (101a and 101b) has passed its respective set of rolls, it has been bent to the shape illustrated for parts 12-20' and 10-26 of FIGURE 3, as will appear later.

After leaving the finishing rolls 123, each strip 101a and 101b then passes through the metal guider and coater 125 which applies a suitable contact cement or other adhesive to those particular surfaces of the metal which will subsequently come in contact with the elastic material 16 (FIGURE 3). An example of suitable elastic materials, contact cement, drying details, etc., are all covered in Military Sepeciiication 15,058-D (Types 3 and 4). In other words, referring to FIGURE 3, the portions of the metal strips 10 and 12 which will be coated with adhesive will include the lefthand face of strip 26 and the upper face of strip 24; and the corresponding faces 20 and 23 of the element 12.

After the coated strips leave the element 125, they pass under the hot air outlets 126 where they are subjected to a suitable blast of hot air for the purpose of partially drying the contact cement, and following this they pass through the air at room temperature, for a considerable distance, allowing the adhesive to further partially dry. Hot air is supplied to outlets 126 from a main hot air duct 126a.

While the aforesaid operations have been taking place, the supply roll of elastic material 127 (see FIGURE 6A) has been feeding a strip of elastic material 16 past a coating device 128 which coats limited portions near the opposite edges with adhesive, following which the coated elastic strip 16 passes between the hot air outlets 129 so that the contact cement will partially dry. These outlets are fed by main hot air ducts 129a.

After leaving the hot air outlets 129, the coated elastic strip 16 passes over a pulley 130 and is directed toward the bonding machine 131. At this stage, the machine and method have brought the elastic strip 16 and the two metal strips 10 and 12 into the relationship shown in FIGURE 3, namely, the elastic strip is above the open pocket made up by the strips 10 and 12. The two faces of the strip 16, at least adjacent their opposite edges, have been coated with a suitable contact cement which has been partially dried, and similarly the strips 10 and 12 have been coated with contact cement which is partially dry on those surfaces which will contact the elastic strip 16. The bonding machine 131 will cause the elastic strip 16 physically to enter in the pocket in members 10 and 12, as shown in FIGURE 4, and thereafter the bonding rolls 132, together with the press rolls 133, 134, and 135, will clamp the members 20 and 26 onto the top of the elastic strip 16 to produce the product of FIGURE 2.

FIGURES 8 and 9 illustrate the details of the primer coating device 107 of FIGURE 6. This primer coating device 107 simply comprises a pan 150 which is lilled with a primer to a given level in any well-known manner, as by means of a bottle 151, and employs a brush 152 which feeds the primer by capillary action onto the strip 103 as it passes the same.

The first set of rolls 114 of FIGURE 6 is shown in detail in FIGURE l0 where two forming rolls 114a and 114b form the strip 103 to the shape shown. Said rolls are driven by shafts 114C and 114d.

In each of the sets of forming rolls hereinafter described, there are shafts corresponding in function to shafts 114e` and 114d, and since they have been described in connection with FIGURE 10, they will not be described in connection with the other figures.

The forming rolls 115 of FIGURE 11, the forming rolls 116 of FIGURE 12, the forming rolls 117 of FIG- URE 13 and the forming rolls 118 of FIGURE 14, apply progressively sharper bends to the strips 103 as shown.

Following forming rolls 118, each strip next passes through the crimping machine of FIGURE 15, however, the crimping operation is optional and may be omitted. The crimping machine comprises two spaced gear wheels positioned to apply crimping along the horizontal portion of the strips which later will become the portions 20 and 26 of FIGURE 3.

The edging rolls 119 (FIG. 16), 120 (FIG. 17), and 121 (FIG. 18), together with a suitable wedge 136, bend the strip 103 progressively as shown; and the finishing rolls 122 (FIG. 19) and 123 (FIG. 20) effect the iinal bending operations preparatory to receiving the elastic material 16. The shape of the strip 103, when it is ready to receive the elastic material 16, is as shown in FIGS. 3 and 20; however, FIG. 3 shows the strip more accurately than FIG. 20 because the gap between portions 23 and 25 is fully closed.

The wedge 136 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 21, 22, 35 and 36. The leading end (shown at the righthand end of FIGS. 2l, 22, 35 and 36) of the wedge starts between the two edging rolls 119 of FIGS. 16 and 36. The wedge 136 continues and passes between the second set of edging rolls 120 of FIGS. 17, 35 and 36, and it has a flange 136a located between rolls 121 (FIGS. 18, 35 and 36) and 122 (FIGS. 19, 35 and 36) to insure that the strip 103 is bent to the desired shape shown.

The finishing rolls 122 and 123 of FIGS. 19 and 20 respectively accomplish the final bending operations to the shape shown in FIG. 20 (more accurately shown in FIG. 3 as explained above).

While our invention includes as one element means for binding the metal strips 10 and 12 to the shape shown in FIG. 3, it is obvious to those skilled in the art of machinery for bending and forming strips how to do this with rolls and wedges, and we do not claim that the specic details of the rolls and wedges 114/ 123 and 136 are part of our invention; but we do claim a larger machine in which any suitable means for performing the function of these rolls and wedges is an element of the combination.

FIGURE 23, together with detailed FIGURES 24 and 25, illustrate the details of the coating machine 128 of FIGURE 6. The sheet of elastic material 16 from the roll 127 has limited surface portions adjacent its opposite edges passing between rollers 161 and 164. The lower portions of the two rolls 161 pass through adhesive pans where contact cement of any suitable type is picked up and fed into contact with limited portions of the lower surfaces of the sheet 16. In order to properly align the sheet 16 with the rolls, a pair of control rings 162 are positioned adjacent the rolls 161 and have slightly larger diameter than the rolls 161, whereby the sheet 16 must remain between the two rings 162.

In order to coat limited portions of the upper surfaces of the strip 16, adhesive must be transferred from the pans 170 to the rollers 164. This is done by means of the pick-up rings 166.

In order to regulate the quantity of adhesive fed to the upper and lower surfaces of the strip 16, the scraping devices 167 and 168 are employed in connection with the pickup rings 166 and the rolls 16. The scrapers 167 and 168 are located in a horizontal plane above the adhesive pan 170 as shown in FIGURE 23, and have a detailed construction as shown in FIGURES 24 and 25. The Scrapers 167 and 168 are positioned very close to, but not in actual contact with their respective rings 166 and rolls 161 so that only a limited amount of adhesive may be picked up and transmitted to the sheet 16. In order to prevent the adhesive from contacting portions of the sheet outside of the limited portions desired, the rolls 161 and 164 have anges 16S which pinch the sheet and prevent travel of cement past the pinched area.

Rollers 161 and 164 are respectively driven by shafts 173 and 174. The two shafts 173 and 174 are supported at their outer ends by bearings 173a and 174:1 and near 

